Apparatus for applying handles to containers



Aug. 25, 1970 APPARATUS FQR APPLYING HANDLES TO CONTAINERS Filed April 24, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 25, 1970 F. R. LlNDA ET AL APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HANDLES TO CONTAINERS Filed April 24'. 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 25, 1970 R, LlNDA ET AL APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HANDLES TO CONTAINERS Filed April 24, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 QAOR NRK 9R USN F. R. LINDA ET AL Aug. 25, 1970 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HANDLES TO CONTAINERS Filed April 24, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 QQW NNR an QNNU URN

Aug. 25, 1970 F, LlNDA ET AL 13,525,137

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HANDLES TO CONTAINERS Filed April 24, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 25, 1970 R UNDA ET AL v APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HANDLES TO CONTAINERS Filed April 24, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 &

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Aug. 25,1970 F. R. LINDA ET AL APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HANDLES TO CONTAINERS Filed April 24, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 HDJ e FMW ZBA-O .V

N IW-al F ZMDFUK 01 IUZDL zg United States Patent Int. (21. B231) 19/04 US. Cl. 29208 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for locking handle closures on gable top containers in which gable top containers are automatically fed by conveyers through punching and handle locking stations and, as each container is fed through the respective stations, the container, through electrical and pneumatic controls, actuates a punch to punch a hole in the gable and dies to fasten and lock the handle.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 650,989, filed July 3, 1967. The invention of the instant application relates to apparatus for attaching and locking handles to containers, particularly to gable top paperboard containers of the type used for merchandising and carrying milk or other liquids.

In US. Pat. 3,373,924 there is described a container handle for gable top containers wherein the handle has two downwardly extending tabs, one provided with a male protuberance and the other with a female opening. The tabs of the handle of such patent are positioned at the opposite sides of the container gable with the male protuberance of the one tab extending through a hole in the container gable. The famale opening of the tab at the other side of the gable is positioned over the end of the male protuberance, snapped into a groove in the male protuberance and the end of the male protuberance is compressed and deformed, locking the female tab on the male protuberance of the male tab and locking the handle in position on the container.

Our copending application Ser. No. 650,989 describes a method and apparatus for attaching the handles of the aforesaid patent to a container wherein, as the containers slide long a track from station to station, a power operated punch is manually brought into operating position with the gable ridge, a hole is punched in the gable ridge, and the power operated punch is manually lifted. At a second station on the apparatus of the aforementioned application, a power operated header is manually brought into operating position with respect to the container handle, triggered, and the female opening of one tab is forced over the male protuberance 0f the other tab and the protruding end of the male tab is compressed or deformed, locking the female tab in position on the male tab and the handle on the gable of the container.

The apparatus of the instant application performs operations similar to those of such aforementioned copending application but, in the apparatus of the instant invention, the operations are performed automatically as the containers are moved from station to station on a conveyor. As each container reaches a station and is in proper position at the station, the container on reaching the proper position automatically actuates the mechanism which, at the first station, punches a hole of the required size and shape in the container gable ridge and, at the second station, snaps the female opening in one tab of the handle over the male protuberance of the other tab and deforms and compresses the protruding end of the male member to form a head locking the female tab in position and locking the handle on the container.

Except for the handles, which are manually placed in position over the gable ridge of the container after the hole is punched, the apparatus of the instant invention is fully automatic, i.e., the filled containers are fed onto the conveyor at one end of the machine and the containers with the handles attached and locked in place are fed off of the other end of the machine automatically without any band operation except for the positioning of the handles on the containers, intermediate the punching and handle locking stations, by the machine operator. Because, at each station, proper positioning of the container at the station triggers the operation performed at the station, the container is in proper position before operation is initiated. Thus, proper alignment of the container with the tools at the particular station is assured before operation is initiated and malfunction and improper fastening of the handle to the container is avoided. This is of particular importance since the container is filled before the gable is punched and the handle attached.

The invention of the instant application will be better understood from the following description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus of the instant invention showing from the top, the conveyors and punching and handle locking stations.

FIG. 2 is a vertical view, partly in a section, taken at line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical view, partly in section, taken at line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view, partly in section, taken at line 4-4, FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top view, partly in section, taken at line 55, FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a vertical view, taken at line 6-6, FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view, taken at line 7-7, FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 7, showing the mechanism in its advanced position;

FIG. 9 is a view taken at 9-9, FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a vertical view taken at line 1010, FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a view, partly in section, taken at line 1111, FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 11, but showing the apparatus in advanced position;

FIG. 13 is a diagram of the apparatus of the instant invention, showing the path of travel of the containers through the various stations and the positions of the various switches; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of the circuitry and the various switches.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a circular platform 2, rotatable at its center on shaft 4, and endless belt conveyer 6, extending tangentially from platform 2 to punching station, generally designated 8. Guide rails 10, 12 are mounted above and along the opposite sides of conveyer 6 and, at one end, extend arcuately above and away from conveyer 6 and above platform 2, for reasons more apparent hereinafter and, at their opposite end, guide rails 10, 12 extend into punching station 8.

Endless belt conveyor 14 extends from punching station 8 to the in-feed end of handle locking station, generally designated 16. Guide rails 18, 20 are mounted above and along the opposite sides of conveyor 14 and extend from punching station 8 to handle locking station 16. The out-feed end of handle locking station 16 is connected to the end of accumulator conveyer, generally designated 22, accumulator conveyer 22, having tracks 24, 26, rollers 30 being mounted on track 24 and extending upwardly above 24 and rollers 28 being similarly mounted on track 26. Guide rails 32, 34 are mounted above and along the opposite sides of tracks 24, 26. The circular platform, conveyers and stations are, for reasons which will be obvious, mounted on a frame, not shown, with the platform and conveyers substantially level and in alignment.

As best shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, punching station 8 has vertical supports 40, 42, 44, 46 interconnected, at their tops, by horizontal supports 48, 50, 52 and fastened, at their bottoms, to frame 54. Vertical supports 44, 46 are interconnected intermediate their tops and bottom, by horizontal member 56. Cylinder 60, having a piston, not shown, connected to piston rod 62, is pivotally mounted, at 64, to support 66 extending upwardly from horizontal support 52 intermediate vertical supports 40, 42. The end of piston rod 62 is pivotally connected, at 68, to the end of arm 70 which, at its opposite end is mounted for pivotal movement on shaft 72 mounted at its ends on vertical supports 44, 46. Punch head 74, having a longitudinal extending slot 76, tapered at 78, and closed at one of its ends by plate 80 and at its other end by spring member 82, FIGS. 3 and 4, is fixed to arm 70. Punch 84 is guided in bushing 86 in punch head 74 at one side of slot 76 and, at the other side of the slot, projects into die 88 when punch 84 is actuated. Tube 90 extends into hole 92 in punch head 74. The open end of tube 90 is aligned with the open end of die 88 to receive the material punched out by punch 84 for discharge of the punched out material from the machine. The end of punch 84 is connected to a piston, not shown, in cylinder 94 mounted on arm 70. Switch actuating members 95, 96 are fixed, at one of their ends, to arm 70 and, at their other ends, actuate the switch arms of switch LS2, LS3, respectively, mounted on horizontal support 50.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 5, plate 100, fixed to the end of spacers 102, 104 attached, at their opposite ends, to vertical supports, has a slot 106 through which the switch arm of switch LS1 extends, switch LS1 being mounted on the outside of plate 100 with the switch arm extending through slot 106 for purposes later described.

Guide block 110, having guide passages 112, 114-, which receive and guide guide rods 116, 118, is fixedly mounted on plate 100, and has, extending outwardly therefrom L-shaped support arm 120. Air cylinder 122 is pivotally connected, at 124, to support arm 120. Piston rod I126 is connected, at one of its ends, to the piston, not ShOWn, in cylinder 122 and, at its other end, is pivotally connected, at 128, to L-shaped pusher plate generally designated 130, having a base 132 and side plate 134. Guide rods 116, 118, slidable in guide block 110, are connected, at one end, to base 132 of pusher plate 130 and are free at their opposite end. Switch plate 136 is attached to the end of guide rod 118 and, as will be later described, contacts the switch arm of switch LS4 mounted on frame 54, when pusher plate 130 is actuated by cylinder 122.

As best shown in FIG. 5, endless belt conveyer 6 is driven from a motor, not shown, by chain 140 connected through sprocket 142 to conveyer 6 and, through sprocket 144 and bevel gears 146, 148, chain 140 also drives conveyer 14. Wheel 150, FIG. 1, through a drive, not shown, is also driven by chain 140 to rotate circular platform 2 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, for purposes later described.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 9, handle locking station 16 has vertical supports 200, 202, 204, 206 interconnected, at their tops, by horizontal supports 208, 210, 212, 21 4. Vertical supports 200, 204 are interconnected by horizontal support 21 6 and vertical supports 204, 206 by horizontal support 218. Platform 220, in planar alignment with conveyer 14 and the tops of rollers 28, 30 is fastened to vertical supports 202, 206 and horizontal support 218 to receive containers from conveyer 14 and deliver containers to rollers 28, 30 as will be later described.

Plate 222, fixed to the end of spacers 22 4, 226, 228 attached, at their opposite ends, to vertical supports 204, 206, extends at its opposite ends, outwardly beyond supports 204, 206 and, at its end beyond support 204, guide block 230, having guide passage 232, which receives and guides guide rod 234, is mounted on spacers 236, 238 fixed, at their opposite ends, to plate 222. Switch LS5 is mounted on the back side of plate 222 with switch arm 240 of switch LS5 extending forward of the face of plate 222 when switch LS5 is open for purposes later described.

L-shaped support arm 242, fixed to guide block 230, extends outwardly from the end of guide block 230 and cylinder 244 is pivotally connected, at 246, to support arm 242. Piston rod 248 connected at one of its ends to a piston, not shown, in cylinder 244 and, at its opposite end, in pivotally connected, at 250, to base plate 252 of L-shaped pusher plate 254, having side plate 256. Switch LS6, having switch arm 260 is mounted on switch support 262, fixedly mounted on plate 222 and switch actuating plate 264 is fixed to the end of guide rod 234, for purposes later described.

Referring to FIGS. 6, 9 and 10, arms 270, 272, interconnected, at one of their ends, by bar 274, are pivotally mounted, at their opposite ends, at 276, to vertical support 200. Cylinder 280 is pivotally connected at one of its ends, at 282, to support 284, extending upwardly from horizontal support 212. Piston rod 286 is connected, at one of its ends, to a piston, not shown, in cylinder 280 and, at its opposite end, at 288 is pivotally connected to bar 274. Switch LS7, having switch arm 290, is fixed to support 206, with switch arm 290 below the end of arm 270 and switch LS8, ha ving switch arm 292, is fixed to support 206, with switch arm 292 above the end of arms 272 for purposes more obvious hereinafter.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, stud setting head 300, having longitudinal slot 302, flaring outwardly at 304, 306, closed at one of its ends by plate 308 and at its opposite end by spring plate 310, is fixed to arm 270. Die 312 is fixed in head 300 at one side of slot 302 and, at the opposite side of slot 302, movable die 314, connected to the end of piston rod 316, is mounted for reciprocation in bore 318 in head 300 and in axial alignment with die 312. Piston rod 316 is connected, at its opposite end, to the piston, not shown, in cylinder 320 fixed to arm 270. The end of movable die 314 is recessed, at 322, to receive the male end of the handle tab.

Referring to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, stud cold deforming head 330, having downwardly extending sides 332, 334 with plate 336 at one end and spring plate 338 at the opposite end, is fixed to arm 272. Die 340 is fixed in side 332 of head 330 and movable die 342 is mounted for reciprocation in bore 344 in side 332 of head 330 in axial alignment with die 340. Tip 346 of movable die 342 is mounted in bore 348 of housing 350 threaded into the body of movable die 344 and tip 346 is urged outwardly by compression spring 352 in bore 348 of housing 350. Movable die 342 is fixed to the end of piston rod 368 and, at its other end, piston rod 368 is connected to a piston, not shown, in cylinder 370.

The operation of the apparatus is described in conjunction with the diagram of FIGS. 13 and 14.

Air to the system of the apparatus is turned on and the main electrical switch, FIG. 14, is manually closed by the operator. With air at operating pressure, the pressure switch is closed and the motor drives circular platform 2 and conveyers 6 and 14 in the direction of the arrows in FIGS. 1 and 13.

Containers from a container assembling or filling machine (not shown), with the gable tops of the containers closed, are deliverd, one after the other, onto circular platform 2, rotating in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1. As circular platform 2 rotates, with the containers, toward the opening between the arcuate ends of rails 10, 12 extending over platform 2, the containers are guided by the rails and transferred to conveyer 6 moving in the direction of the arrow, FIGS. 1 and 13. The containers are delivered from the assembling or filling machine and guided between rails 10, 12 so that, on conveyer 6, the gables of the containers are in axial alignment with the direction of movement of conveyer 6.

The containers on conveyer 6 are aligned, one after the other, on the conveyer with the gabels aligned, FIG. 13, and are delivered to conveyer 6 by circular platform 2 at approximately the same rate as the containers are processed and discharged on the instant apparatus. Thus, there is no accumulation of containers on platform 2. Platform 2 and conveyers 6 and 14 are driven continuously but, as will be obvious from the following description, each container is stopped as it reaches punching station 8 and handle locking station 16 for the operation on the container performed in the respective stations. Thus, the containers are stopped but conveyers 6, 14 are not stopped. To accommodate this, conveyers 6 and 14 have surfaces in contact with the container bottoms which will allow the containers to be held and stopped without stalling or substantially increasing the load on the conveyer motor but, at the same time, will convey the containers when the containers are released.

Conveyer 6 feeds the first container into punching station 8 and, as the leading side wall of the container contacts plate 100, the container is stopped and, as the following container, on conveyer 6, comes into contact with the first container, and following containers with each other, the containers stop but conveyer 6 continues to operate. As the leading side wall of the first container comes into contact with plate 100, the leading container side wall depresses the control arm of switch LS1 extending through slot 106 in plate 100 and closes switch LS1.

Referring to FIG. 14, when switch LS1 is closed, time delay switch TD2, controlled by time delay motor TD2, is already closed. Thus, when the leading side wall of the first container contacts plate 100 and depresses the control arm of switch LS1, closing the switch, down punch head solenoid, controlling air to cylinder 60, is actuated, causing cylinder 60 to push arm 70 into its downward position, moving punch head 74 downward over the gable of the first container. At the same time switch LS3 is opened.

When arm 70 reaches its downward position, switch actuating member 96 closes switch LS2 and, because time delay switch TDl controlled by time delay motor TD1, is already closed, punch solenoid, controlling air to cylinder 94, is actuated, causing cylinder 94 to actuate punch 84 and punch a hole in the gable of the first container in punching station 8. The closing of switch LS2 also actuates time delay motor TD1 and, after a preset time interval sufiicient for punch '84 to advance, punch the material outof the gable and deposit the punched out material in tube 90, time delay motor TD1 opens time delay switch TDI deactivating the punch solenoid and cylinder 94, retracting punch 84. At a preset time interval, after the opening of time delay switch TDl sufficient for punch 84 to retract, time delay motor TD1 closes time delay switch TDl actuating time delay motor TD2 through the circuit of closed switch LS2 and the circuit of closed switch LS4 and instant time delay switch Inst. TD2. Time delay motor TD2 opens time delay switch TD2, deactivating down punch head solenoid, controlling air to cylinder 60, and cylinder 60 raises arm 70 to its upward position, FIG. 2. As arm 70 raises, switch LS2 is opened and current is fed to time delay motors TD1 and TD2 through closed switch LS4, closed switch Inst. TD2 and closed switch TDl When arm 70 reaches its raised position, switch actuating member 95, FIG. 2, closes switch LS3, actuating solenoid Push 1, controlling air to cylinder 122 and causes cylinder 122, through piston rod 126 to advance pusher plate 130 and base 132 pushes the carton in punching station 8 out of the punching station and off of conveyer 6 onto conveyer 14. As pusher plate 130 advances, side plate 134 of pusher plate 130 blocks the next following container from entering punching station 8 until pusher plate 130 is retracted, as later described. When cylinder 122 advances pusher plate 130 to its advanced position, switch plate 136 contacts the switch arm of switch LS4, opening switch LS4 and the circuit to time delay motors TD1 and TD2. Current to solenoid Push 1 controlling air to cylinder 122 is cut off and cylinder 122 returns to its initial position and the next following container is delivered, by conveyer 6, into punching station 8.

The first container, pushed from punching station 8 onto conveyer 14, is moved from the punching station to handle locking station 16. As the container moves between the stations, the machine operator places a handle on the first container gable with the male member on one tab positioned through the punched hole through the gable and projecting into the female opening in the other tab. The handles are placed on the container with the male tab members projecting in the same direction i.e., to the left as shown in FIG. 13, and with the handle portions resting on the container in the same direction, as shown in FIG. 13.

On reaching handle locking station 16, the leading side wall of the first container, with its gable punched and a handle on the gable, contacts plate 222 and, as it contacts the plate, depresses switch arm 240 of switch LS5, closing switch LS5 and through closed switch CR1 energizes solenoid Push 2, controlling air to cylinder 244. When solenoid Push 2 is energized, cylinder 244 advances pusher plate 254 and pushes the container into position under stud setting head 300 and, when the carton is in position, switch actuating plate 264 contacts switch arm 260, FIG. 9, and closes switch LS6.

When switch LS6 is closed down-set cold head solenoid is actuated, through closed time delay switch TD4, controlling air to cylinder 280 and, through piston rod 286 and bar 274, arms 270, 272 are pivoted downwardly, about pivotal mounting 276, bringing stud setting head 300 and cold deforming head 330 into position on the gable of the container thereunder. Pusher plate 254 and cylinder 244 push the container in engagement with pusher plate 254 into position under stud setting head 300 and, at the same time, the container being pushed by pusher plate 254 advances the container under stud setting head 300, in the preceding cycle, into position under cold deforming head 330. Also, at the same time, the container under cold deforming head 330, in the preceding cycle, is advanced, or pushed, by the following containers, onto accumulator conveyer 22 for packaging in crates or boxes.

The closing of switch LS6, by switch actuating plate 264, energizes control relay CR1, opening control relay contacts CR1 and closing control relay contacts CRI As cylinder 280 pivots arms 270, 272 downwardly, control arm of switch LS8 is released and switch LS8 is closed. When arms 270, 272 reach their downward position, control arm 290 of switch LS7 is contacted by arm 270 and switch LS7 is closed, energizing solenoid return Push 2 controlling air supply to cylinder 244, returning push plate 254 to its initial position and set and cold head solenoid, controlling air supply to cylinders 320, 370, is energized through closed time delay contacts TD3 Time delay motor TD3 is also energized.

When set and cold head solenoid is energized, cylinder 320 advances movable die 314 to snap the female hole of the handle tab over the male protuberance on the male tab member on the gable of the container in stud setting head 300 and cylinder 370 advance movable die 342 to cold form the head of the male tab member projecting beyond the female tab on the gable of the container in cold deforming head 330.

After a preset time interval, sufficient for the dies to snap and cold form the head and sufficiently long so that the cold formed head will not return to its original shape because of plastic memory, time delay motor TD3 opens time delay switch TD3 and closes time delay switch TD3 energizing time delay motor TD4 and energizing closing instant contacts Inst. TD4. As time delay switch TD3 is opened, set and cold head solenoid is tie-energized and cylinders 320, 370 return dies 314 and 342 to their withdrawn position. After a preset time interval sufiicient for the dies to be withdrawn, time delay motor TD4 opens time delay switch TD4 de-energizing down-set cold head solenoid controlling air to cylinder 280, arms 270, 272 are raised and as the arms raise switch LS7 is opened and, when the arms reach their uppermost position switch LS8 is opened.

The cycle described in the foregoing operation is repeated with each following container. The containers are fed automatically, the glable of each container is punched and, after the handle is placed in position on the gable, the handle is attached and locked on the container. At each station, the container controls the initiation of the machine operation. Thus, if the container is not in proper position, the operating cycle of the machine is broken.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the uSe of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What is claimed:

1. A machine for assembling handles on gable top containers in which the handle comprises a closure structure having a male member for insertion through a hole in the gable ridge of the container and a female member shaped and proportioned to receive the male member extending through and projecting from said hole in said gable ridge to form a snap lock with said male member, Said machine comprising:

a first conveyer for supporting said containers and for feeding said containers; means for driving said con-- veyer;

a punching station on said first conveyer having a punch head with a power operated punch therein; means for actuating said power operated punch when said punch head is over the gable ridge of a container in said punching station for punching a hole in said gable ridge;

a second conveyer; means for driving said second conveyer; means for moving a container from said punching station to said second conveyer after a hole has been punched in the gable of said container;

a handle locking station on said second conveyer having a locking head with a power operated locking die therein; means for actuating said power operated locking die when said locking head is over the gable ridge of a container in said handle locking station for snapping the female member of a handle over the projecting end of a male member of said handle extending through and projecting from the hole in said gable ridge and for forming a snap lock connection of said handle on said container; and means for discharging containers with handles locked thereon from said handle locking station.

2. A machine for assembling handles on gable top containers, as recited in claim 1, in which said handle locking station includes a power operated cold heading die, and means for actuating said cold heading die when said heading die is over the gable of a container for forming the projecting end of a male member of a handle 8 extending through and projecting from the female handle member over said female member.

3. A machine for assembling handles on gable top containers as recited in claim 1 in which said punching station includes switch means which, on contact with a container moved by said first conveyer into position in said punching station, lowers said punching head over the gable ridge of a container in said punching station and raises said punching head to a position above said gable ridge after a hole has been punched therein, and means for actuating said power operated punch when said punch head is in lowered position over said gable ridge for punching a hole in said gable ridge.

4. A machine for assembling handles on gable top containers as recited in claim 3 in which said handle locking station includes switch means which, on contact with a container moved by said second conveyer into position in said handle locking station, lowers said locking head over the gable ridge of a container in said lock-v ing station and raises said locking head to a position above said gable ridge after a handle has been locked thereon, and means for actuating said power operated locking die when said locking head is in lowered position over said gable ridge for snapping the female member of a handle over the projecting end of a male member of said handle extending through and projecting from the hole in said gable ridge and for forming a snap lock connection of said handle on said container.

5. A machine for assembling handles on gable top containers, as recited in claim 2, in which said handle locking station includes switch means which, on contact with a container moved by said second conveyer into position in said handle locking station, lowers said cold heading die over the gable ridge of a container in said punching station and raises said cold heading die to a position above said gable ridge and means for actuating said power operated cold heading die when said heading die is in lowered position over said gable ridge for deforming the projecting end of said male handle member to form a head on said projecting male member over the female member of said handle.

6. A machine for assembling handles on gable top containers as recited in claim 4 in which said punching station includes pusher means and means for actuating said pusher means to push said containers from said punching station onto said second conveyer after a hole has been punched in the gable of said containers in said punching station.

7. A machine for assembling handles on gable top containers as recited in claim 6 in which said handle locking station includes pusher means and means for actuating said pusher means to push said containers out of said handle locking station after a handle has been locked to said container in said handle locking station.

8. A machine for assembling handles on gable top containers in which the handle comprises a closure structure having a male member for insertion through a hole in the gable ridge of the container and a female member shaped and proportioned to receive the. male member extending through and projecting from said hole in said gable ridge to form a snap lock with said male member, said machine comprising a first conveyer for receiving and feeding containers, means for driving said conveyer; a punching station at the end of said first conveyer, a plate in said punching station extending transversely across said first conveyer, a switch on said plate, a punching head in said punching station mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the gable of a container in said punching station, means responsive to the contact of a container with said switch for lowering said punching head, a punching pin in said punching head, power means for actuating said punching pin, means on said punching head for actuating said punching pin power means when said punching head is lowered, means for raising said punching head, a second conveyer, means for driving said second conveyer, pushing means in said punching station for pushing a container from said punching station onto said second conveyer after a hole has been punched in the gable thereof, a handle locking station at the end of said second conveyer, a plate in said handle locking station'extending transversely across said second conveyer, a switch on said plate, pushing means in said handle locking station for pushing a container from said second conveyer, a platform for receiving said containers from said second conveyer, a handle locking head above said platform, a power operated handle locking die in said handle locking head, means responsive to the contact of a container with the switch on the plate in said handle locking station for actuating said pushing means in said handle locking station for pushing a container off of said second conveyer onto said platform and into position under said handle locking head, means on said pushing means in said handle locking station for lowering said handle locking head into position over the gable of a container after said container is positioned thereunder, means for actuating said power operated handle locking die after said locking head is in lowered positoin over the gable, means for raising said handle locking head, and means for discharging containers, with handles locked thereon, from said handle locking station.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,373,476 3/1968 Lombardo et a1 29208 THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

